How much should children exercise?
http://www.lovemygym.com/articles/230/1/How-much-should-children-exercise/Page1.html
Dr. Gabe Mirkin, M.D.
A practicing physician for more than 40 years and a radio talk show host for 25, Dr. Mirkin is a graduate of Harvard University and Baylor University College of Medicine. He is one of a very few doctors board-certified in four specialties: Sports Medicine, Allergy and Immunology, Pediatrics and Pediatric Immunology.
Dr. Mirkin's latest book is The Healthy Heart Miracle, published by HarperCollins. He wrote the chapter on sports injuries for the Merck Manual (both lay and physicians' editions), the largest selling book worldwide with over one million copies in print. His daily short features on fitness have been heard on CBS Radio News stations since the 1970's. He has written 16 books including The Sportsmedicine Book, the best-selling book on the subject that has been translated into many languages.
Dr. Mirkin did his residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital and over the years he has served as a Teaching Fellow at Johns Hopkins Medical School, Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland, and Associate Clinical Professor in Pediatrics at the Georgetown University School of Medicine.
Dr. Mirkin has run more than forty marathons and is now a serious tandem bike rider with his wife, Diana, often doing 30-60 miles in an outing. By Dr. Gabe Mirkin, M.D.
Published on 01/25/2007
Children need at least 90 minutes of exercise a day to avoid heart disease when they are older, according to a new study reported in Lancet (July 23, 2006). The old guidelines recommending 30 minutes of exercise three times a week, or even an hour a day do not appear to be adequate for preventing obesity and heart disease. Researchers used heart rate monitors to measure the activity of 1700 nine- to-fifteen-year-olds in Denmark, Estonia, and Portugal. They then calculated a heart-attack risk score consisting of blood pressure, cholesterol, insulin resistance, and skinfold thickness.
They compared physical activity from the heart rate monitors with the heart attack risk-factor score and found that the more active the child, the lower the heart attack risk score. Many children who exercised for 60 minutes a day were still overweight and had high heart attack risk scores. The authors suggest that the lack of regular physical activity is likely to mean that the children are spending too much time watching TV, playing video and computer games, and eating junk food. There is no reason to expect that the results would be different with American children. The current recommendation of at least an hour per day of moderate activity in children may not be sufficient for future heart health.
Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com
To receive Dr. Mirkin's free weekly e-Zine on fitness and health, send a blank email to subscribe@drmirkin.com
Find out how much exercise a child needs to grow up to become a health adult.
How much should children exercise?
Children need at least 90 minutes of exercise a day to avoid heart disease when they are older, according to a new study reported in Lancet (July 23, 2006). The old guidelines recommending 30 minutes of exercise three times a week, or even an hour a day do not appear to be adequate for preventing obesity and heart disease. Researchers used heart rate monitors to measure the activity of 1700 nine- to-fifteen-year-olds in Denmark, Estonia, and Portugal. They then calculated a heart-attack risk score consisting of blood pressure, cholesterol, insulin resistance, and skinfold thickness.
They compared physical activity from the heart rate monitors with the heart attack risk-factor score and found that the more active the child, the lower the heart attack risk score. Many children who exercised for 60 minutes a day were still overweight and had high heart attack risk scores. The authors suggest that the lack of regular physical activity is likely to mean that the children are spending too much time watching TV, playing video and computer games, and eating junk food. There is no reason to expect that the results would be different with American children. The current recommendation of at least an hour per day of moderate activity in children may not be sufficient for future heart health.
Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com
To receive Dr. Mirkin's free weekly e-Zine on fitness and health, send a blank email to subscribe@drmirkin.com